Can your tablet replace your laptop? I’ve long argued that they can. It might be a little unfamiliar at first, and therefore a little uncomfortable, but as with most things it becomes easier with time. If you’re a BlackBerry PlayBook owner, you might have noticed that you spend a little less time on your laptop than you did previously — and that’s even more true now with the OS 2.0 update. Still, though, there’s something about that real keyboard feel. We’ve been conditioned to prefer tactile feedback. That’s what makes the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard so intriguing. While there are a number of keyboard cases for the BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM’s own design takes advantage of the PlayBook’s size. One reason I prefer tablets to laptops is the lack of a hinge. That makes the device necessarily more bulky. But at just seven inches, the BlackBerry PlayBook is much smaller, and much more portable. It’s easy to think that adding a keyboard would make that more bulky, but that’s hardly true of the Mini Keyboard. In reality, it’s just like any other PlayBook case. It keeps it safe from dings and dents. At the same time, though, it does contain that keyboard. That might make it slightly bulky, but not overly so. In fact, the added benefits — foremost of which being the added screen real estate — pretty much cancel out the slight bulk gain. Despite the PlayBook’s initial flaws, I’ve long maintained that it has the potential to be a powerful business and personal device. With the introduction of OS 2.0 we saw that come to fruition. Now with the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard it’s even more possible. You can check out more information at the BlackBerry Business Blog. The units will start shipping on March 23rd, but you can preorder yours now at ShopBlackBerry.com. It will set you back $120.
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